Threads of Destiny
by LadyRainStarDragon
Summary: Formerly 'From a Shoulder Perch,' this is a collection of stories reflecting on the show and manga Inuyasha. Explore how destiny ties these together, and indirectly affects others in very different times and locations as well.
1. From a Shoulder Perch

From a Shoulder Perch

By: LadyRainStarDragon

Fandom: Inuyasha

* * *

Green eyes peered from their perch upon a slender shoulder, tiny hands clutching tightly for purchase on a white and green blouse. The wind pulled a curtain of midnight before his face for a moment, and then swept it away again, to lie dormant against a field of white.

What the eyes surveyed was a moving mass of red and white, watching it strut haughtily through the dense forest. A white ear would flick every time that a small gasp sounded, a result of a shoe finding some random root not taken into account on the group's wanderings. On the occasions that the gasp was very loud, the being would look over his shoulder, smouldering suns checking on the maiden.

For her part, every time the inu turned around, the boy could feel the throbbing of a speeding heart below the flesh of the maiden that carried him. Her body heat would rise, and there was a tone to her gentle scent that he recognized his mother attaining at times.

He no longer had a mother, or a father, thanks to a pair of thunder demons who had been after his father's Shikon shard. This maiden was now the closest thing to a mother that he had, and he only wanted her to be happy. Of course, if the hanyou that she was drawn to was a two-timer, how could she be happy?

Heaving a sigh, the red-haired kit looked down at his tiny body. If he were perhaps a little bit bigger, maybe he could protect her. Instead, he was a young child, only 100 years old. He would have to leave the protecting to his new father figure. The dog demon wasn't that great as a father figure, more like an annoying older brother, but since he was the one that his new mother had seemed to choose . . . he needed to try to respect him. He had had a rough life too.

"Kagome. Let the kit walk!"

"Osuwari!"

It was times like this that Shippo almost felt pity for Inuyasha. Almost. The kitsune kit could hear the muttered comments from the crater that escaped the human's ears.

"Kagome! He said he was going to hang me by my toes and leave me for Sesshoumaru!"

"Inuyasha! Osuwari!"

The maiden continued on past the half-demon buried in the dirt, who accidentally got an eyeful as she went by when he lifted his head to shout at her. Stunned at what he saw, the monk passing by sniggered at the shocked face, earing a large bump on his head. Said bump had of course been provided by the taijiya who had been walking behind him, and her oversized boomerang Hiraikotsu. The little kitten who had been riding in her other arm barely cracked open an eye.

* * *

A one-shot that decided to grab me in the shower.


	2. The Will of the Kami

Threads of Destiny (Collection)

The Will of the Kami

By LadyRainStarDragon

Everybody seems to dump on Higurashi-daitoku, few paint him in a light that I have been satisfied with. What if he really did have holy powers at one time, and lost them? The kami work in ways we rarely comprehend.

* * *

Most people only thought of magic, youkai and kami as quaint folktales, stories made up to explain what primitive man could not comprehend. He knew better though, once he had seen many things. Though the wonder and strength of his youth were long gone, the memories remained. The kami and youkai hid themselves now, hiding from the ningen in plain sight with their illusions. If only his grandchildren would listen to him, then his little girl wouldn't be in this mess!

The old man sat before the well, chanting over and over the spell that had been passed down through the generations of his family. The priest refused to accept that his powers had deserted him, had refused to accept it ever since the birth of his granddaughter. The day that she had been born, they had gone dormant, buried so deep that only rarely could he yank them again to the surface, and only by the boon of his kami when they were direly needed. He knew not what he had done to anger his lord so, was he not a good and faithful servant? Did he deserve this indignity of not having what he once had, to be unable to help his beloved grandchild?

Still, he had to try. His little Kagome was in danger.

Days he had spent in this same spot, not leaving except for ultimate necessity. His grandson had kept him supplied with his tools and offerings for the well kami, the sister of Goshinboku-kami. Three days he had prayed for the safe return.

'Please Kami, grant me the power for this one miracle! For Kagome! Bring her home safe!'

With a flourish, he dumped the offering of sacred sake into the well, for the spirit to drink. There was a noise in the bottom of the well, and as he and Souta peered into the dry well, they saw the lovely face that they had been pining for. She had returned from the well! She was the Legendary Miko from the Future that the stories told of. The spirits had returned her to the bosom of her family, at least for now.

The signs were clear. He was no longer favored, and it was time to pass the torch on. Kagome would be far too busy to be trained by himself. She would learn the old ways in the old time. His son was no longer with them, gone long ago.

Turning to his grandson, he conveyed the boy's destiny, but would not reveal the true reason that it was so important the boy train to take over the Shrine. He was still so young for this age and responsibility, and the truth would only scare the children. They were both scared enough already.

'Please keep my grandchildren safe.'

* * *

Rain's Replies

Fyraga - I haven't seen 'Princess Mononoke' yet, it's on my wish list though (meaning I probably won't get it 'till in the winter).

Alaina - Well, I haven't gotten any Miroku-esque reviews yet, nor has Ten let any Miroku's or Kumiro's near my shower (nor is he interested, his attention's elsewhere).

NitenGale - Thanks.

Tippy-chan - Thanks for the inspiration.


	3. Gone, Miko no Shikon

Threads of Destiny (Collection)

Gone, Miko no Shikon

By: LadyRainStarDragon

Rumiko Takahashi owns all rights to Inuyasha. I just amuse myself with her creations.

* * *

He didn't remember his Otou. He remembered a man, but that was it. No voice, no face, only the outline of a man over his crib. The man had been young, straight and proud in priestly robes as a blessing was said over the baby that once had been he. Flashes of different uniforms the boy could recall, a black suit for work, white robes for Shrine duties, casual clothing to play with the boy's sister hug the boy's mother, or to play with the elder sister.

One day, Father didn't come home. Since then, neither of the children were allowed near the old well or the building that housed it. Ji-san renewed the seals on the well cap yearly. He remembered a room, and a lot of people crying as Ji-san cleansed the family. He remembered his big sister trying to be brave, to help Omoto-san care for the boy, and to help Ji-san with the Jinja.

That had been 5 years ago.

Wiping liquid crystal from his eyes, the boy looked down the old well, the cat who had caused it all on the edge beside him. He didn't understand, the cat had only been in the creepy building, why would some monster pop out of the well to steal his sister? They were going to school today, and then supposed to go to the park after school. She had promised!

Would he ever see her again? Did she know how much she meant to him?

He had to get help.

"Ji-san!"

Forgetting about school, the eight-year old ran to the house, looking for his Ji-san or Omoto-san. Ji-san knew all kinds of weird stuff, he would know what to do. Mama would surely be able to fix this too.

"Ji-san! The well ate Kagome! Ji-san!"

Ji-san was not in the house, but his Omoto was, as evidenced by the head that popped out of the kitchen.

"Souta! You're supposed to be on your way to school."

"Mama! The well ate Kagome-neechan!"

Higurashi-nisou had always known that her daughter was special. She had known she would be special since the first time that she had met Higurashi Tausau in school. As soon as he had taken her home to meet his parents, and she had seen the Shrine that her family told stories about, she knew. She knew the things that her little Kagome would go through.

Most mothers, if they knew what she knew, would scream and cry. But she would not. She was Taijiya Yomika, and her family would not exist if her little Kagome did not travel through the legendary well to fulfill a destiny set 500 years in the past.

"Souta, why don't you stay home today. I'm sure that Ji-chan wants your help. Kagome will be ok, she is strong."

Yomika dried the tears in her son's eyes, and she took him to find Ji-san. The boy would have his own destiny to fulfil as well, and it was time that he learned how.

It had begun, and later today, she would make a visit back to the Temple that her ancestors had built not far from the Jinja no Shikon, or Higurashi Shrine as it was now known, less than 500 years ago. It was time that she alerted the family about recent developments, and it had been a long time since she had seen her cousin Kumiro.

'Oh, Tausau, if only the monster hadn't awakened early, then maybe you could be here to see our little girl become our legendary Miko no Shikon.

* * *

Rain's Replies

Tippy-chan - Glad that you like. Yeah, grandpa is pretty funny, but it's hard to not feel sorry for him. Nobody listens to his stories, his fuda don't work, it's just sad. He is great comic relief though, since pretty much everyone can identify at one time or another.

NitenGale - Sleep! You're going to make yourself sick.


	4. Devotion

Threads of Destiny

Devotion

Rain does not own Inuyasha and characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

Set late in the series.

* * *

There she was in all of her beauty. Midnight hair gleamed with natural radiance beneath the glorious sun that kissed her brow. A proud face peeked out from all that hair, and her eyes had a far away gaze, as was usual. Higurashi stood out from her peers, seeming to be far more mature than many of the other girls in school.

They said that she was always sick, but he wasn't so sure. She never seemed sick when he got a chance to talk with her.

Sick girls could never stay so beautiful.

A nervous laugh and Higurashi disengaged herself a bit more from the girls who were supposedly her friends. What secret was she trying to hide? Was there any way that he could help? Was she going through some kind of an identity crisis, and that was why her personality seemed to slowly be changing?

Now was his chance.

"Higurashi!"

The mysterious Tennyo turned around, eyes wide in surprise. It was funny, but he could never decide what color they were. Were they brown or blue? Hazel maybe?

"H-houjo-kun!"

Ah, such music when she said his name!

"Here Higurashi. Your grandfather said that you were having problems with your diabetes again. These snack bars are supposed to help you regulate your blood sugar level, and they actually taste good too."

"Ano . . . Arigato, Houjo-kun."

No! The others were catching up again. Those three always harassed him about Higurashi. Yes, he had a huge crush on her, but that didn't mean that he wanted them to inquire as to how their last 'date' went. Poor Higurashi had an attack when they were at WacDonald's, and so she had gone home early. Those three, while they obviously had good intentions, were the absolute nosiest girls in the school . . . with the exception of the dreamy one who always seemed to be off on some cloud elsewhere.

"I'll see you later, Higurashi. Keep one with you at all times!"

In such a state, she didn't need all of the hassle. One of these days, he would get her by herself, and find out what was really wrong. He could tell that she wasn't interested in him romantically, and maybe she would never be. Houjo was not as dense as some people thought him to be. However, he would always be there for her, should she ever need him. That's what friends were for.

He didn't know why, but he felt bound to her somehow.

'Who are you really, Higurashi? Why do you always seem so sad, even when you act happy? How can I help you?'

* * *

Killertrees - thanks. I like your writing too.


	5. Missed Chance

Threads of Destiny

Missed Chance

By LadyRainStarDragon

I don't own Inuyasha. If I did, I wouldn't have kids with a human. Just as well, Inuyasha must eat a fortune in Ramen.

* * *

Gentle winds stirred the snowy hair of the men. One was currently sleeping, pinned tightly to the tree that housed a time tree kami. His eyes were closed in eternal slumber, not even his ears twitching to betray the fact that he was not dead nor alive.

Cold amber narrowed as he glared at the sleeping male, none of the royal moon or line markings on his face being marred as the rest had been so long schooled into a dead mask that it took special effort to wear any expression whatsoever.

Sesshoumaru had actually come to offer his half brother a chance to bring honor to his name by defending the Western Lands. However, he, like their father, had fallen prey to the wiles of a mortal woman. Killed by her own hand no less.

He had never felt anything other than annoyance for his little brother, but now, he did. Anger, hate, disbelief, and many other myriad emotions that he held himself above raged within his noble breast as he stared at his sealed sibling maligned by the malicious miko. Perhaps if he had been there for the whelp like a brother should, none of this would have happened. Then again, the whelp had human blood in him, it would have happened anyway.

But a miko! He surely had to have had some kind of death wish to trust a miko, who were known to kill their breed without thought or question. His 'brother' deserved what he got. Crimson and white danced beneath his armor as he turned away from the hideous sight of the tainted being.

"And to think that I was willing to offer you a chance to prove that even hanyou could be worth something. I hate you, Inuyasha."


	6. Patient

Threads of Destiny

Patient

By LadyRainStarDragon

I don't own Inuyasha. If I did, I wouldn't have kids with a human. Just as well, Inuyasha must eat a fortune in Ramen.

* * *

Midnight blazed below the sun as cherry blossoms tightly bound yet another wound in his young body. He didn't know why she always insisted on it, they would heal quickly on their own anyway. Molten gold scrutinized how the rough ways of his world were beginning to toughen the delicate flowers, calluses where her bowstring rubbed at fingertips to mar soft flesh. Tenderly they performed their administrations, the woman humming a low tune as she moved about to examine his back. Heat rose to his cheeks under her businesslike gaze.

The small audience watched the pair as they executed the time honored dance.

"I told you woman! Only flesh wounds! Feh!"

"Inuyasha! These are deep. If I don't clean them, they will get infected. The I'll have to lance it, just like the last one you refused to let me know about."

"Keh!"

He paid no attention to the violet, green, red, or brown eyes that watched as he exchanged pleasantries with his erstwhile nurse. He longed to let her know how much it meant that she worried about him. Still, it did not feel right to have anyone worry about him, a half breed. Kagome would worry about him anyway, whether he said something or not.

He didn't really know how to tell her what she meant to him, how his heart stopped in his chest every time she put herself in danger. There were no words to convey how her scent calmed him, or how her face warmed his heart. She may never know how her voice soothed his dreams as she murmured in her sleep.

Hanyou were not meant for such things.

"OWWW!"

The young woman sighed through her nose, and he watched her from the corner of his eye. She had poked his wound on purpose, and got her desired reaction at that. Still, it was hard to be mad at her, he probably deserved it.

"Stop trying to get away and just deal with it. I'll say the word if it will make you hold still long enough for me to finish."

He pretended to fume. After all, he couldn't afford for anyone to know what he was really thinking about right now. He usually yelled at the monk for looking like he was thinking along those lines. Still, there was something about the role that Kagome was filling right now that made him want to go and get ripped up some more just so that she would fix him back up.

Maybe one of these days, after Naraku was gone, after Kikyou was laid to rest again, and when the circus wasn't watching them, then maybe he would tell her just how much this really meant to him.


	7. Eat, Wench

Threads of Destiny

Eat, Wench.

By LadyRainStarDragon

I don't own Inuyasha. If I did, I wouldn't have kids with a human. Just as well, Inuyasha must eat a fortune in Ramen.

A moment of serious comedy to interrupt my deep thoughts.

I can't believe I forgot to post this, it's been sitting here for a month.

* * *

_Scratch. Scritch. Scratch, scratch._

The two clerics in the party were both industriously scribbling at their scrolls. Both were working spells incomprehensible to the other members of the party who sat in the firelight watching with bored interest. Red light shone off of their deep black hair and pale skin to give a ruddy glow to concentration paled cheeks.

A satisfied noise broke free from the throat of the male cleric as violet eyes closed to allow a tired hand to massage a tense brow. Laying his latest work in an empty corner of the hut they were occupying for the night, the monk took stock of the scrolls that he had just created for later. By now, their meager meal of boiled rice and nearly inevitable noodles was prepared, and to be frank he would welcome it greatly.

_Scratch scratch. Rub, rub, rub. Scritch scritch._

Now there was only one, working her modern age spells that even the monk could not guess at the purpose of. Every once in a while, she would growl at the paper and spell book that she was working from, causing the motley crew to doubt her sanity.

"Kagome-chan. Dinner."

The soft and kindly voice of the brown eyed exterminator was lost on the modern miko in the odd clothing she called her school fuku. The baneful book still absorbed her attention with its mind-numbing magical formulae exerting inexorable pulls to even deeper within the menacing manuscript.

"Kagome? Aren't you going to eat?"

The kitsune's large wet emeralds were unnoticed as she paused in her work to flip to the back, running her finger along the page as she checked the answer to whatever her sensei had assigned her to be doing in her absentia from her training. Shippo chewed on his bottom lip with sharp twin fangs as he shot clueless looks to the others in the group. Whatever spell she was practing had to take immense concentration.

"Mew? Mew, mew."

Kirara rubbed along the white and green clad back of the time traveling student who was seriously in need of a trusty tutor. The demon cat did her best to distract the teenager back into the realm of food, conversation, and sanity. However, it was still to no avail.

"It's Souta's turn to feed you Buyo."

White tufted ears flicked in annoyance with how deeply she had immersed herself into her studies. She worked herself too hard, worried far too much about these strange symbols that she would never use in real life. In his opinion, it would be far better if she were to stay here and abandon the strange magic of her time. Miroku and Kaede would teach her much more effective magic is she just had to practice magic, and she would still be able to visit her family.

"WENCH! FOOD! EAT!"

"Osuwari."

The word was only muttered subconsciously, a mere reflex when she was disturbed by the sound of his voice. Yet, it still could drive him into the ground to be held in gravity's intensified caress for a few moments. Wherever the evil book had taken her mind, it obviously wasn't ready to give her back.

Scratching continued as she finished copying down the start of the next spell. Inuyasha took this opportunity after his own spell had released him to steal the book away and snap it shut with relish, praying that the vanquishing of the book demon would release her from its evil enchantment. Alas! This too was to no avail. Kagome merely continued to work her problem as her serving of food began to grow cold.

This was quite the predicament. Kagome hated eating cold rice.

The monk sighed and shook his head as responsibility now passed to him. He knew a way to yank her mind out of her work, even if he was going to pay for it with much pain. He had once overheard the miko talking to his exterminator about a dance that apparently was considered very seductive in her world. It was risky, using this information, but this was a good cause. After all, she needed to eat to keep up her strength. On top of it, he would get to see the lovely form of his exquisite exterminator in action after Inuyasha had finished with his beating.

"Kagome-sama! Inuyasha just informed me that he would be honored to do a strip dance for you."

_Snap. Sputter._

The pencil ceased its ceaseless scribbling, her fingers exerting enough strength to break the compressed wood easily. At this time, a roaring Inuyasha pulled Miroku out of the hut, leaving Sango to yell at him to leave her some to kill.

The kitsune and kitten looked at each other, then brought the shocked woman her now very cold meal. Kagome, shocked beyond all belief, began to eat. She didn't even notice that the rice that she so mechanically fed herself was cold and pasty.


	8. Staff

Threads of Destiny

By LadyRainStarDragon

Staff

**-------------------------------------**

The small party walked tirelessly on through the grasses that wove like dancers around them. Upon their worn backs Amaterasu-o-mi-Kami smiled down at the gallant fighters enjoying the rare measure of peace. Somberly merry jingling filled the air as the rings upon the monk's staff clashed across each other to glint in the rays falling from the goddess' face.

This staff had been his for a very long time, something his father had crafted to leave behind for the son he knew would take up the dreaded mantle of the family curse after his own death. More than just a ritual item, it was a material reminder of how much Miroku's father had cared. In good times and bad, this had been at his side. In a way then, so too had the unfortunate one in a manner similar to how the spirit of the Great Inu Taisho guarded Inuyasha.

Every member of the party had some weapon that served to bind them to their ancestors. Inuyasha had his Tetsuiaga, he had his Staff, Shippo had the toys that were his weapons, and Sango had her Hiraikotsu. But what did the young Kagome have to tie her to her own ancestors?

Kagome was special. Even though she could be highly emotional at times, her emotions were her strength. However, there were no weapons that she possessed to tie her to her ancestry. The bow and arrows that she used had been gifted to her by Kaede, who had them of Kikyo before that.

A cry split the peaceful atmosphere as Shippo missed his mark, landing on the ground instead of latching onto their leader's white tufted ears. While Miroku had been contemplating, apparently once more the youkai and hanyou had gotten onto each other's nerves. It was then that he realized what Kagome's true weapons were.

Out from the knapsack came her famous box of healing supplies from her time, and in short order the kit had been disinfected where he had received scrapes. Kagome's aura seemed to intensify each time she healed someone or performed some other good deed. The weapon that was truly hers was her heart.

Kagome had her heart and healer's kit. Inuyasha wielded Tetsuaiga. Sango possessed Hiraikotsu. Miroku saw each tool as he saw his own staff. These were not just tools, but connections with the past and possibly gateways to a brighter future.


	9. Home

Home  
Threads of Destiny Collection  
Fandom: Inuyasha.

Ownership: Takahashi Rumiko  
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are not mine.

My, my... It seems that I have an update for this collection of snippets.

* * *

The forest unfolded around them as they walked, the bird silencing as the Lord of the Western Lands went by on his endless patrols. They had been walking all day, but it didn't matter to her.

Rin was with him.

Her saffron and yellow checkered kimono was beginning to grow short as she grew, but that was also all right. She smiled in the sun as she ignored the constant whining that Jaken always made. Although he didn't want to admit it, the whining had gradually grown to be on her behalf as well as his own.

These two youkai were her home, her family. Sesshoumaru-sama, in his cold and distant way had assumed a father position, while Jaken had somehow become an annoying elder brother figure in her mind.

A butterfly flew by, and she could not resist the urge to chase after it.

"Rin!"

His voice stopped her in her tracks, commanding as ever. Turning her face once more, she replied.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Come."

"Hai, Seshhoumaru-sama!"

Scampering back off after her Lord, Rin heard the mutterings of the imp that served her Lord.

It would probably be a while yet before they would stop and she could eat and play, but she was not alone anymore. She was safe, and she was home.


	10. Wonderland

Wonderland  
Threads of Destiny Collection  
Fandom: Inuyasha.

Ownership: Takahashi Rumiko  
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are not mine.

Note: The time of this writing is late in the manga, where Inuyasha has become more comfortable with his thoughts regarding Kagome.

----------------------

"…It's still winter in my wonderland. I'm waiting for the world to fall. I'm waiting for the scene to change. I'm waiting where the colors come. I'm waiting to let my world come undone…"

The black-haired woman sang in the river's pool, her young voice sweeping through the air and caressing over the babbling of the water.

"What song is that Kagome-chan? I don't recognize the words."

"It's pretty though!"

The Miko stopped scrubbing her skin and looked at the other two with her in surprise, then came back to reality.

"It's a song by a group called Jars of Clay, they call it Wonderland. I think they are a Christian band…"

Kagome gave the translation of the lyrics as Sango and Shippo listened attentively.

"Kirishitians? Aren't they outlawed?"

Sango frowned a little, confused as to why her friend would be singing a song by a group of people that were banned.

"Not in my time. In my time they are just another part of society."

The youkai slayer nodded doubtfully, never having met a Kirishitian that she was aware of.

"Your world has so many strange things, it must indeed be a wonderland. Instant and fast food, the TV thing you were telling us about, your radios, everyone required to go to school. Why would you want it to fall?"

Shippo paddled around happily in the water.

"It's one of those metaphors that you were telling me about, right? They are waiting and ready for whatever is going to happen next!"

Kagome nodded.

"I suppose so Shippo. I've not really thought about it. I suppose that it explains why it has been running through my head lately though."

Kagome got out and toweled the stray droplets off of her body, then quickly got dressed, hoping that neither Miroku or Inuyasha were out there peeping. Miroku was mostly likely a given, knowing his good-natured yet perverted manners. Even Inuyasha had been caught at times, not counting the times that he truly had been running to come and protect them. Sango and Shippo were not far behind.

Shippo was quiet as they walked back, and even while Kagome made the groups dinner. For their part, Inuyasha and Miroku apparently had not moved from where they had been left.

After they had eaten their ramen, Shippo crawled into Kagome's lap and gave a sly look to Inuyasha, who seemed to be looking off into the dark.

"Kagome, would you sing me the Wonderland song again?"

"Keh!"

Inuyasha leaped up into the tree he had been sitting under as Kagome obligingly began to sing, letting the dense foliage hide his face. If he had his way once the Jewel was assembled, she would have no more need of the constant wait she always seemed to be in.


End file.
